Blow-out preventer



7 June 6, 1933.

R. L, WAXLER BLow-ou'r PREVENTER Fild'se t. 6, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 6, 19.33. R, L, Q LE 1,912,809

BLOW-OUT PREVENTER Filed Sept. 6, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 6, 1933.

R. L. WAXLER BLOW-OUT PREVENTER Filed Sept. 6, 1930 :5 SHeets-Sheet s Patented June 1933 been. wanna, or nous'ron, mas snow-our rmivxmna Application medseptember 8, 1880'. Serial 1W0. 480,170.

This invention relates to anovel blowoutpreventer. One object of the invention is to provide novel means for forming a fluid tight seal between an outer pipe or casing, in a well bore, and the drill stem, or other inner pipe, in said bore so asto prevent the escape of fluid, under the influence of internal pressure, out between said casing and inner pipe.

A further feature of the invention resides in the provision of means for controlling a well having internal gaspressure which may be quickly and securely adjusted into active position between the outer and 5 inner pipe in the well and securely fitted about the-inner pipe to form the desired seal and which may be operated, at a dietance from the well so as to avoid unnecessary risks of injury to workmeni A still further feature of the invention resides in the'provision of a blowout preventer of the character described that is of very simple constructionand may be. cheaply produced and which is positive in operation, of sturdy construction and whosevparts may be readily removed and replaced.

With the above and other objects in view the invention has particular relation to certain" novel features of construction, operation, and arrangement of parts, an example of which is given in this specification and illustrated, in the accompanying drawings herein. 4

Figure 1 shows 'a'vertical sectional view of the apparatus, shown in open or inactive position. v

Figure 2 shows :a cross sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 4 and Figure 4 shows a vertical sectional view showing the apparatus in active or closed position.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, wherein like numerals of reference designate the similar parts in each of the figures, the numeral 1 designates a housing, which is preferably of'a general rectangular form in cross sectional contour, n and which is mounted on and mayv be formed integrally with the upper section 2 of the well casing: which extends down into the well. This ousing is closed at one end b the removable end plate 3 and at t the ot ier end by the removable cap 4, said M plate and cap bein suitably bolted tothc houslng. W thin t e housing, and at the bottom thereof, there is the downwardly converging seat 5 surrounding which there as the upwardly and outwardlyflared guide There is an actuating shaft 7. which works through and has a swivel connection with the outer end of the cap 4 and whose outer end 8 is formed to receive a wrench. The inner end of this shaft is coarsely threaded and works through a correspondin 1y tapped hole in the yoke9. This yoke is isposed transversely across the casing and has the end plates 10, -10 which work adjacent the opposite sides of the housing. The said sides of the housing have the bearing plates 11, 11 welded or otherwise secured thereto and these bearing plates have the contra vertical bearing grooves 12, 12 whose lower ends are turned outwardly'toward the plate 3 forming the horizontal side channels 13, 13.

There is a plate like head 14 in the housing locatedbetween the plates 10,, 10 and this head has the lateral pmtles 15, 15 whose outer ends are formed with the enlar ed bearing members which work in the vertical grooves 12, 12. y The head 14 has a central opening 17 through which the drill ipe, or

other inner pipe 18 may work.- T ahead has the opposing pairs of slots 19, 19, the slots of one pair'bein ali ed'with the corresponding slots of t e other pair and de-' pending from the said head 14 are the slip segments 20, 20. These segments are arranged in confronting relation and each segment is substantially arcuate in cross sectional contour, the outer sides of the segments tapering downwardly to conform to and fit snugly within -'the seat; 5, the inner, sides being vertically grooved and thus formed -'to closely fit around the ip; 18 when in active position. Suitable 21 are fitted through the slots 19 and are screwedv into the corresponding segments neath and the upper ends of these bolts are enlarged and formed into conical shaped.

23 ali ned above the corresponding heads of the b0 ts 21.

The respective end plates 10 have the transversely aligned bearing slots 24 which receive the corresponding pintles 15. These slots are diagonally dis and their inner ends have a less pitch, relative to the vertical, than their outerends thus providing the u per and lower-bearing faces 25, 26 to wor against the respective pintles 15 for a purpose to be hereinafter stated.

In carrying on drilling operations the slip segments are actuated into inactive position, as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. This is accompanied by turning the shaft 7 in an appropriate direction to move the yoke 9 outwardly and the bearing slots are 'so disposed that as the plates 10 move outwardly the pintles 15 and head 14 will be forced to move upwardly thus carrying the slip segments 20 u wardly and as they move u r wardly the eads of the bolts 21 will strike against the bearing faces 23 and be moved outwardly carrying said segments outwardg with them clear of the opening 17.

rilling operation may now be carried on through the apparatus. In case gas is encountered and a blowout is threatened the shaft 7 may be rotated in the opposite direction forcing the yoke 9 and plates 10 inwardly thus permitting the segments 20 to move downwardly, and their lower ends, wh ch are beveled inwardly as at 27, will strlke the downwardly converging guide face 6 and said se ents will move downwardly and inwar 1 into the seat 5 about the mner pipe 18. l v'hen the slip is seated in said seat 5 the bearing faces 25 will be in contact with the pintles15 and a further rotation of the shaft 7 will have the effect of wed ing said faces 25 against the upper sides 0 said pintles thus forcing the slip segments 20 downwardly and seatin them securely in said seat and about sai so that there can be no leakage past them. t

The lower ends of each segment 20 is equipped with suitable packing rings as 28 4 which extend entirely around each segment and form a seal not only between the segments andthe seat 5 but between the segments and the inner pipe 18 as well as between the segments themselves. J The escapeof' fluid between casing and mner pipe will thus be entirely prevented.

When it is desired to move the slip segments again into inactive position the rotainner I ating wedge like efi'ect thus easily unseating said segments to permit them to be elevated and moved apart into inactive position as shown in the figures. Y

The side channels 13 are provided for convenience in assembling or dismanteling the apparatus so that the bearing members 16 may be moved into position in alignment with the side rooves 12 or may be moved out .of the casmg when it'is desired to remove the head 14 from the casing.

The segments 20 ma be readily removed, by removing the end ate 3 and unscrewing the bolts 21, and others substituted therefor so that sli segments may be provided to fit any size 0 inner pipe being used.

The well casing 2 has 0 posing internally threaded nipples 29 for t e reception of the tion will be defined by the appended claims.

' What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for forming a seal between an outer pipe and an inner pipe in a well bore comprising a housing oni the outer pi vertical tracks in said housi g, a vertica ly movable head having side pin les whose outor ends move along said tracks, a seat in the bottom of the housing around the inner pipe therein, slip se ents dependin from and laterally movab e relative to sai head, a yoke movable in the housing and having side plates provided with bearing slots in which said pintles move, an actuating shaft having a swiveling connection with the housing and a threaded connection with said yoke and b which said yoke and plates may be actuate said bearing slots being shaped -to effect the elevation of said slip segments I bore comprising a housin on the outer pipe,

vertical tracks disposed 1n said housing, a vertically movable head having side pintles whose outer ends move along said tracks, a

seat in the bottom ofthe housing'around the inner pipe therein, slip segments depending from and laterally movable relative to said head, a yoke movable in the housing and havin side plates provided with bearing slots in which said pintles lmove, an actushaft having a swiveling connection with the housing and a threaded connection with said yoke and by which said yoke and plates may be actuated, said bearing slots ing'shaped to effect the elevation of said slip segments when said yoke is moved in one direction and to permit the descent thereof into said seat, when the .yoke is moved in another direction, guides in said housing and means carried by said se' ments having a seat around the inner pipe, a vertically movable head in the housing, slip segments depending from and laterally movable relative to said head, a yoke movable in the housing, means operatively connecting the yoke with said head, an actuating shaft having a swiveling connection with the housing and a threaded connection with the yoke and by which the yoke may be actuated, said connections between the yoke and head being effective to elevate the head when the yoke is moved in, one direction and to permit the head to descend when the yoke is moved in the other direction.

51. Apparatus for forming a seal between an outer pipe and an inner pipein a well bore comprising a housing on the'outer pipe, a seat in the housing around the inner pipe, a vertically movable head in the housing, slip segments depending from andlaterally movable relative to said head, a yoke movable in the housing, means operatively connecting .the yoke with said head,.an actuating shaft having a swiveling connection with the housing and a threaded connection with the yoke and by which the yoke may be actuated, said connections between the yoke and head being efl'ective to elevate the head when the yoke ismoved in one direction and topermit the head to descend when the yoke is moved in the other direction, guides in said housing and means carried by said segments, shaped to ,contact with said .guidesland move the segments apart upon the elevation of the head.

5. Apparatus for forming a seal between segments depending from and laterally movable relative to said head, a yoke mov- ,able in the housing, means operatively connecting the yoke with said head, an actuating shaft having a swiveling connection with the hdiising and a threaded connection with the yoke and by which the yoke is moved in one direction and to permit the head to descend when the yoke is moved in the other direction, a guide in said housing to direct said segments into'said seat on the downwardmovement of the segments.

6. Apparatus for forming a seal between v an outer pi and an inner pipe in a well bore, comprising a housing on'the outer pi having a downwardly tapering seat at the bottom thereof, an upwardly and outwardly inclined guide in said housing above said seat, a vertically movable head in said housing, a slip shaped tofit into said seat and formed of separate segments which. depend from and which are movable laterally relative to said head, means operativel connected with the head and movable in one bore, said apparatus comprising a housing on the outer pipe, a vertically movable head in the housing, means confining'the head to a substantially vertical movement in the housing, a seat beneath said head in the housing adapted to surround the inner pipe therein, segments dependin from and laterally movable relative to said head, shaped, when assembled, to surround said inner pipe, a member in the housing operatively connected with the head and effective when moved into one position to elevate said head and. segments and when moved into another position to cause said head and segments to descend and the segments to seat in said seat in assembled relation about the inner pipe, and means for actuating said member into either of said positions.

8. Apparatus for forming a seal between an outer dpipe and an inner pipe in a well bore, sai apparatus comprising a housin on the outer pipe, a vertically movable hea in the housing, means confining the head-to a substantially. vertical movement in the housing, a seat beneath said head, in the housing, adapted to surround the inner pipetherein, segments depending fromand laterally movable relative to said head, shaped when assembled, to surround said inner pipe, a member in the housing operatively connected with the ,head and efi'ective wheh moved into one position to elevate said head and segments and when moved into another position to cause said head and segments to descend and the segments to seat in said seat in assembled relation about the inner pipe, means for actuating said member into either of said positions, said actuatin means including a shaft having a swive ing connecin, said housing and plate having central housing having 1 passages therethrough to receive a pipe, a pair of closure members carried by said plate and movable with respect thereto means movable'laterally to actuate said plate and said members to move said members to open or to closed position about said pipe.

10. A blowout preventer including a housing, a movable carrier plate disposed therein, central passages through said housin and plate, a pair of closure members carrie by said plate and movable with respect there to, means movable laterally to actuate said plate and said members to move said members to open or closed position, said means includin side plates.

11. Ailowout preventer including a housing, a movable carrier plate disposed therein, central passages through said housing and plate, a pair'of closure members carried by said plate and movable with respect thereto, means movable laterally to actuate said plate and said members to move said members to open or closed position, said means including side plates, and slots in said side plates to guide said members.-

12. In a blowout preventer, a housing, said a vertical passage therethrough; a pac ng seat in said vertical passage, a trunnion plate within said housing, said trunniom plate being vertically movable therein; segmental packing elements, said packing elements bein suspended from said trunnion late and a apted for lateral movement wit' relation thereto, said packing elements also being adapted to form a seal within said packing seat; means to vertically actuate said trunnion plate, and meansto move said packing elements 00'- operatively therewith.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

REUBEN L. WAXLER.

mg, a movable carrier plate disposed therei 

